Published: July 14, 2009 11:46 am         

Murder case waived to the grand jury

Monticello — The grand jury will hear the case against Hope White, who is charged

with murder in connection with the July 2008 stabbing death of Julie Hicks

Burchett.

White appeared in Wayne District Court on Monday afternoon for a

preliminary hearing, where testimony was heard from Kentucky State Police

Detective Doug Boyd, who has been involved in the investigation since

Burchett's body was discovered nearly a year ago.

Burchett had been stabbed multiple times, according to officials. Police

found her in her car, parked at the old pallet mill on Beech Valley Road

early on July 19, 2008.

During Monday's hearing, Boyd, who was initially questioned by County

Attorney Lee Tobbe, said that investigators received a breakthrough in the

case last month, when they got a tip from Rodney Brown, who lives in

Tennessee.

Brown apparently called the local 911 center on June 23 and said that he

had a friend in Monticello who witnessed a murder last year.

Boyd said the tip led him to interview Jason Miller, of Monticello, who

said that he had witnessed Burchett's stabbing during a party held at

White's mother's home. He identified White as the person who stabbed

Burchett.

Boyd also received statements from Adam Manning and Scotty Stanton, who

said they also attended the party. Manning identified White as the person

who stabbed Burchett. Stanton said that he witnessed a fight between two

girls and identified White as being one of them involved in the altercation.

Under cross-examination by Jim Cox, who is representing White, Boyd said

that KSP Trooper Sean Dixon secured the scene before he arrived on the

morning that Burchett's body was discovered. Boyd said the keys were in the

ignition of Burchett's car and that she was lying across the front seat. He

also said that Burchett's cell phone was missing and it has not been

recovered.

Boyd said that cell phone records had been checked and there had been a

call from White to Burchett earlier in the day.

Cox questioned Boyd about the timeline for the day that Burchett died.

Boyd said that statements from Burchett's father place her leaving her

residence at about 2 p.m. on Friday, July 18. Her father saw the car parked

at the pallet mill about 2:30 or 3 p.m. that afternoon. Burchett's husband,

Ricky, also told police he saw the car there when he came in from work that

evening at about 4:30 p.m.

Cox asked about statements made by White, when she was originally

interviewed right after Burchett's death. Boyd said White denied having any

involvement in Burchett's death. She said that she had gone shopping that

morning with her mother and had gone to the lake with her boyfriend, Bobby

Buster, that afternoon. Cox presented a citation that was issued to Buster

at approximately 5:30 p.m. on July 18, 2008, while he was riding his

four-wheeler on Corps' property at F & T.

Under questioning by Cox, Boyd stated that a search warrant was executed

at White's mother's home and flooring samples were taken from the home. He

said those samples have not yet been sent for testing. Boyd also said White

had provided Kentucky State Police with a DNA sample.

Cox argued that there is no physical evidence to connect White with

Burchett's death. He noted that his client has been cooperative with

officials, and he asked that the charges be dismissed.

District Judge Robyn Williams found probable cause and waived the case

to the grand jury. The Wayne County Grand Jury is scheduled to meet on

Tuesday, July 28, when the case could be presented to them.

White remains lodged in the Wayne County Detention Center on a $250,000

cash bond. Her attorney made a motion to lower the bond to $5,000 cash and

$10,000 property, which Williams ruled against.

     

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